For information about schools outside of Hartlepool please see other local authorities Local Offer pages
Pre-School/Early Years
Small Steps
Who Are the Small Steps Team?
The Small Steps Team is a part of the Educational Psychologist Team. We provide family-centered, specialist support, advice, and strategies to families, carers, and settings for children in the early years with complex developmental needs. The team visits children and their families at home and in educational settings, working closely with their supporting adults. By learning together, we understand the developmental needs of the children, develop strategies to support progress, and celebrate each small step of development.
Who Can Access the Small Steps Team?
The Small Steps Team supports early years children in Hartlepool with complex developmental needs. This includes children with significant developmental delays, profound and multiple learning needs, and/or social communication and interaction needs that impact or may impact their participation and achievement in age-typical play, learning, and social experiences.
Support from the Small Steps Team is available through an internal referral from the Educational Psychology Team.
What Support Does the Team Offer?
Support is tailored to the individual needs of the child, family and setting, and may include:
- Problem solving together
- Developing personalised approaches and strategies
- Connecting with other professionals, services, and support groups
- Supporting transitions to new settings
- Modelling approaches to support play and engagement
- Introducing and embedding social communication opportunities
- Supporting self-care and independence skills (e.g. toileting, dressing, eating)
- Introducing visual supports and promoting routines
- Understanding and supporting sensory needs
- Celebrating successes!
School Admissions
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Schools
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Mainstream Schools
The additional needs of most children and young people can be met by inclusive quality first teaching and reasonable adjustments from the funding and resources that are already or ‘ordinarily’ available within their mainstream school or setting. This is known as ‘Ordinarily Available Provision’.
The SEND Code of Practice 2015, links high quality teaching with ordinarily available provision: “…higher quality teaching ordinarily available to the whole class is likely to mean that fewer pupils will require such support.” (para 6.15)
Hartlepool’s Ordinarily Available Inclusive Mainstream Provision Framework sets out what is expected from all schools.
This guide highlights a range of prompts, strategies and examples of good practice appropriate to all phases of education, from Early Years to Post 16, for those with additional needs, which settings can ordinarily provide for a child or young person, without the need for additional support from an Education Health and Care Plan.
Alternative Provision
As part of the DfE change programme we have a 3 tier approach to Alternative Provision within Hartlepool.
Tier 1: This is targeted support in mainstream schools. Through staff development and work with specific individual children we aim to provide support at the earliest opportunity to enable pupils to remain or reintegrate into mainstream schools.
Tier 2- The local authority works with schools to support them in setting up their own alternative provision on or off site. This provides children with an enhanced support offer tailored to the individual children’s needs.
Tier 3: This is offered through Horizon School (Pupil Referral Unit) and The Haven (Home and Hospital)
Pupil Referral Unit – Horizon School
ARPs
A small number of mainstream schools in Hartlepool provide an Additional Resourced Provision (ARP) to support children and young people with their special educational needs.
These places are commissioned by the local authority and places are allocated through the local authority SEND processes.
Places are allocated through the Commissioned Provisions Network. These meetings take place on a half termly basis. Requests may be made by either your child’s SEND Officers (for those with an EHCP) or via the SENDCo Cluster/ Seeking Support Process (for those with SEND Support)
The schools with this provision are:
| School | Age Range | Number of Places | Specialism/ Need Type | Comments |
| Eskdale Academy | KS1 | 10 | SLCN | Pupils do not require an EHCP but do require a SaLT referral. |
| Grange Primary School | Nursery-Y6 | 33 | ASD / Communication and Interaction / PD / Complex SEND needs | Pupils do not require an EHCP. |
| Greatham C of E Primary School | Nursery-Y6 | 16 | Complex SEN | New ARP – Increase in places (up to 16) will be staggered until reach capacity Pupils do not require an EHCP |
| Kingsley Primary School | Nursery-Y6 | 25 25 | ASD / Communication and Interaction Complex SEN | Pupils do not require an EHCP |
| Rossmere Academy | Reception to Y6 | 6 | SEMH | Pupils do not require an EHCP These are short term placements and the child remains on their home school roll |
| St Helen’s Primary School | Nursery-Y6 | 20 | ASD / Communication and Interaction | Pupils do not require an EHCP Places are being increased from 10-20 |
| Manor Community Academy | KS3 &KS4 | 20 | ASD / Communication and Interaction | Pupils require an EHCP |
| High Tunstall College of Science | KS3 &KS4 | 45 20 | MLD ASD / Communication and Interaction | Pupils require an EHCP |
Special Schools
Special Schools cater for students with special education needs. These may include learning disabilities or physical disabilities. Pupils at Special Schools have an Education, Health and Care Plan. In Hartlepool we have three special schools: Springwell (Primary), Catcote (Secondary and Post 16), Hartlepool Free School (SEMH)
EOTAS
Education Other Than At School (EOTAS) is when a young person is not on a school roll and has an alternative (EOTAS) package in place, paid for by the Local Authority.
The SEND Code of Practice at para 10.39 states that ‘Local authorities must make arrangements where, for any reason, a child of compulsory school age would not otherwise receive suitable education. Suitable education means efficient education suitable to a child or young person’s age, ability and aptitude and to any SEN he or she may have. This education must be full time, unless the local authority determines that, for reasons relating to the physical or mental health of the child, a reduced level of education would be in the child’s best interests’
Any EOTAS package must be recommended through an EHC needs assessment, a reassessment of needs, or at the EHCP annual review, and be agreed by parents / carers and signed off by the Head of Development for SEND in conjunction with the SEND Commissioned Placements Panel. This may be following a direct request for consideration made by a parent or carer. EOTAS is not the same as elective home education (EHE).
Education other than at school (EOTAS) means it would be “inappropriate for the EHCP provision to be made in any school or post 16 institution”, therefore the education or special educational provision of children or young people put in place outside of a registered school / education setting.
It can only be agreed in conjunction with the Local Authority via an EHC needs assessment, a reassessment of needs or at the EHCP annual review. It means the child or young person would not be on roll at a school or post 16 institution and the special educational provision is provided through a bespoke and personalised package which may be delivered in the home or in an alternative setting, or range of settings.
Independent Schools (Section 41)
Section 41 of the Children and Families Act 2014 allows the Secretary of State to publish a list of approved independent special schools and special post-16 institutions for the purpose of enabling child’s parents or a young person to request a particular school, college or other institution in their Education, Health and Care Plan. The list is published on GOV.UK https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-special-schools-and-colleges
The Children and Families Act 2014 places specific duties upon institutions on the approved list:
- institutions on the approved list must “have regard” to the SEN Code of Practice;
- institutions on the approved list have a reciprocal duty to co-operate with the local authority on arrangements for children and young people with SEN;
- local authorities’ published local offer must refer to the institutions on the approved list;
The Act gives parents and young people the right to express a preference for independent specialist provision when their Education, Health and Care (EHC) plan is being agreed and completed. If a parent or young person requests that an approved independent special school or special post-16 institution be named in their EHC plan, the local authority is under a conditional duty to accept (unless it would be unsuitable for the age, ability, aptitude or SEN of the child or young person, or the attendance of the child or young person there would be incompatible with the efficient education of others, or the efficient use of resources). If named on an EHC plan, the independent special school or special post-16 institution must admit the pupil or student. This places approved independent special schools and special post-16 institutions on the same legal footing as maintained schools, academies, non-maintained special schools and FE colleges.
Within Hartlepool the following schools are on this list:
Cambian Hartlepool School – Cambian Hartlepool School | SEMH Schools | Cambian Education Provides up to 18 places for children and young people aged 10-18 (Upper KS2- KS5). Specifically those with SEMH needs.
Catcote Futures – Catcote Futures | Hartlepool Number of places available can change depending on demand.
Post 16 Provision
Colleges
Catcote Sixth Form College is part of Catcote Academy: Those students with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD) and complex learning difficulties and disabilities (CLDD) are educated at Catcote Academy main site. We have an offsite provision situated on Brierton Lane, Hartlepool which caters for our moderate and severe learning difficulties (MLD and SLD). We also have a small cohort of MLD students who are based in our training room above Catcote Metro (a shop in Hartlepool shopping centre). These students are working towards supported internships and employment.
The focus of the sixth form curriculum is around the 4 themes within Preparation for Adulthood (PfA):
Employment
Independent Living
Friends, Relationships and Community
Good Health
Hartlepool College of Further Education:
Hartlepool Now : Support Finder / Hartlepool College of Further Education
The college provides an environment which is inclusive and safe for our learners to provide curriculum offers which meets the needs of a diverse range of students – from those with high levels of need who, for whatever reason, did not get a chance to excel at school to those who wish to undertake higher level professional & technical.
Hartlepool College are dedicated to ensure all students have equal opportunities and access to resources, facilities and services to be successful within their programme of studies. We are committed in meeting your individual needs to enable all students to have equal opportunities and gain the right skills and qualifications within an environment that delivers quality learning and high expectations. The college offers a range of programmes within Entry Level Foundation to Level 1 vocational studies as well as Adult Courses, HE, T Levels and Access.
We have a large team of Learning Support who provide a high level of assistance to students with a range of potential barriers on a range of full-time courses and within these programmes, the team offer 1:1 in class support, exam concessions, note-taking, chaperone and lunch supervision. The college also have a dedicated small team of Essential Skill Assistants who provide specialist Maths and English support in class, 1:1 support and development opportunities for students.
The team also provide individual transition packages for students progressing to college to ensure they are ready to enjoy college life. This service includes initial meetings within school or a familiar environment, tours of the college, group visits and taster sessions to help students integrate into college effectively.
Stockton Riverside College: Hartlepool Now :: Support Finder / Adult Education at Stockton Riverside College
The following secondary schools in Hartlepool have 6th form provision:
Dyke House Sports and Technology College, English Martyrs Catholic School and Sixth Form College
There are other options for post 16 education and training including Supported Internships, Traineeship and Apprenticeships
Universities
Whilst an EHCP would no longer be in place if a young person was to progress to university, there is a range of support available to young people with SEND to support then to access university. Further information can be found on the following external websites:
University for students with special needs | The Good Schools Guide
The transition to University for SEND young people
Information specific to local universities:
Teesside University: Widening participation | Teachers and advisers | Teesside University
Durham University: Disability Support – Durham University
The University of Sunderland: About | The University of Sunderland
Newcastle University: Disability Support | Student Wellbeing | Newcastle University and PARTNERS programme PARTNERS Supported Entry | PARTNERS Supported Entry | Newcastle University
University of Northumbria: Accessibility support
Elective Home Education
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